Effect of current severity and shock timing of cuttings on rooting of hard wood cuttings for two Olive (Olea europea) cultivars

Abstract

The study was conducted in the plastic house of Horticulture Department – College of Agricultural engineering sciences. Duhok University -Iraq during spring season of 2020 to investigate the effect of electric current severity and shock timing of cuttings on the vegetative and rooting characters of two olive (Olea europea) cultivars. Three levels of electric current severity AC 2, 4, 8, Ampere and three timing of electric shock 1, 2, 4 minutes were tested on cuttings of two olive cultivars (Dogel and Basheqi). A special electric apparatus was designed for this purpose. The cuttings were soaked before treatment for 3hrs in a 1% NaCl solution, and then soaked in fresh water for the same period 3hrs before planting. The experiment was applied using randomized complete block design (RCBD) of three replications and the means comprised by Duncan's Multiple Ranges Test under 5%. Cuttings of Basheqi cv. which were exposed to medium current for a high period (T16) 4 A × 4 mins significantly increased rooting percentage 73.33%, roots number per cutting 36.25, fresh weight of roots 1.77 g, dry weight of roots 0.66 g, shoots number per cutting 4.25, leaves number 46.00, fresh weight of vegetative growth was 2.44 g and dry weight of vegetative growth was 1.15 g. While high current treatment (T8) 8 A × 2 mins of Dogel cultivar caused the superiority in obtaining the longest roots 17.17 cm and largest leaf area 3.77 cm 2 .